A former Georgetown University student, now a Virginia prosecutor, has launched a class action lawsuit against her alma mater after the institution revealed a significant data breach. The incident exposed personal information belonging to an undisclosed number of current and former students, including sensitive data such as Social Security numbers, tax IDs, payroll records, and other student details.
Mary Margaret Cleary, a deputy commonwealth attorney from Culpeper County and a 2014 Georgetown graduate, filed the complaint. She alleges that the exposed data puts victims at heightened risk for financial fraud, identity theft, and other forms of harm, which has caused her significant stress and anxiety.
The university disclosed that the breach lasted approximately 24 hours and was accessed by 29 students or recent graduates. However, Georgetown’s Chief Information Officer, Doug Little, clarified the incident was not caused by an external attack but resulted from a configuration error, allowing users with school IDs to access restricted administrative data.
Little stated the university contacted those who had accessed the data, instructing them to delete any information obtained. Georgetown has yet to issue further comments on the lawsuit.
Cleary’s legal action seeks unspecified damages on behalf of all impacted individuals, underscoring the broader consequences of data mishandling within academic institutions.
